What type of records does PRONI hold?

PRONI holds millions of documents that relate chiefly, but not exclusively, to Northern Ireland. They date largely from c.1600 to the present day (with a few dating back as far as the early 13th century). The records held in PRONI fall into two main categories:

Public records:

PRONI holds public records mainly dating from around the formation of Northern Ireland (1921) to the present day. A small number date back to the 19th and late 18th centuries. ‘Public record’ generally refers to any document created by ‘official’ sources such as:

government departments

non-departmental public organisations(courts of law, local authorities, non-departmental public bodies/quangos)

Privately deposited archives:

These include business records and church registers and can range from a single emigrant letter to a vast landed estate archive containing thousands of items and spanning a 300 year period.

Can anyone come into PRONI and see these records?

Yes. PRONI is open to everyone (children under 14 years should be accompanied by a responsible adult). You don't need to make an appointment (but you may do so if you wish) and there is no admission fee. The majority of our records are open to the public for consultation and research but we advise that, if you are visitng from a long distance and know what you want to see, you contact us beforehand to ensure the records are available.